If you missed yesterday’s post, Part 1 (complete with a poem!), click here. Now, onward to the sunrise!

It’s Called Pelvic Pain

After re-reading Katy Bowman’s blog post on internal physical therapy, I spent hours online trying to find resources. Umpteen search terms later (no, “internal physical therapy” didn’t work), I finally ran across the term “pelvic pain.” That was the key. “Pelvic pain” opened up a Google gold mine. While I didn’t come across any happy endings like the one I’m writing now, I finally found the Pelvic Health & Physical Therapy Center in Houston, Texas.

I also discovered that millions of women are out there suffering with pelvic pain of one kind or another, much of it painful intercourse. This kind of pain does not always start after pregnancy and birth either; sometimes it’s spontaneous. (Sobering tidbit: The physical therapists told me that large studies have now demonstrated a link between hormonal birth control [e.g., the Pill] and spontaneous pelvic pain, and that they’ve seen this correlation in their own practice. That’s scary given the number of women out there using these forms of birth control.)

What the Physical Therapists Said

I gathered my courage and booked a first appointment with the PH&PTC, a 2.5 hour ordeal. I filled out reams of paperwork in excruciating detail about my most private experiences. I signed consent forms acknowledging that treatment could be painful. On the big day, I was so sick with shame and fear that I almost threw up in the waiting room. I excused myself to the bathroom and used an emotional acupressure technique to calm down (similar to the TAT but better for out-and-about emergency situations; I’ll share it later in the Healing for Life series). [Edited: Here’s the tapping technique I used.] Whew!

The nurse practitioner who governs the practice sat me down for a talk. What a relief. She talks to women just like me all day, every day–and helps them too. Kleenex abounded, and I took full advantage of them. My pain levels were a 10. My fears about the future were a 10. My sexual frustration was a 10.

The NP very compassionately listened to my history and my doctor’s conclusions, how I was feeling, the kind of support I had, and then shared her thoughts. She said that nerve entrapment was the least common cause of my symptoms, that she had some strong suspicions about what was really going on, and told me that I’d be working with a biofeedback specialist as well as one of their physical therapists.

I then moved on to my appointment with the biofeedback specialist, where we had quite a bit of difficulty inserting a vaginal probe, although she was so gentle and kind throughout. The probe connected to a computer and showed on-screen readings from my pelvic floor muscles. (These are the muscles that form the “floor” or bottom of the pelvic opening. They hold up all of your pelvic organs and surround all orifices.) The readings were high, really high. My pelvic floor muscles were in a constant spasm! No wonder inserting anything in there was excruciating.

Now, I would never have described my pain as muscular–never–but the biofeedback readings convinced me that at least part of the problem was in the muscles after all. Extreme pelvic floor tension can happen for a variety of reasons. In my case, the trauma of birth appeared to trigger an overreaction in the muscles.

I was still very concerned about my scar, however, as was the biofeedback specialist.

Finally, they marched me up for a quick talk with the MD, a colorectal surgeon, who oversees the whole PH&PTC practice. He confirmed that surgery can sometimes be necessary but was highly unlikely for my case. Talk about exciting news!

When I first saw their goddess of a physical therapist the following week, she noted that my pelvic muscles were indeed in a spasm. She worked gently and found many “trigger points” in different levels of my pelvic floor muscles. The session was stressful and uncomfortable but also felt productive.

The Goals

After all of these assessments, these goals came to the forefront:

Teach me to connect with my pelvic floor (PF), to be able to feel its tensed or relaxed state (I was oblivious at this point)

To this regimen, I added Katy Bowman’s stretches and exercises from her Down There program, as well as a few more from her blog tossed in. I was thorough. I also began meditating again in earnest.

I spent 30 minutes meditating each morning as soon as the baby went down for his first nap, and after his bedtime in the evenings, I spent 2 hours on everything else. I was M.O.T.I.V.A.T.E.D. (If you’ve ever wonder what on earth I was doing from months 3 to 6 postpartum, now you know.)

Spectacular Results!!!

After just 3 PT and biofeedback sessions in 2 weeks, I was 70% better! We were beyond ecstatic. This was enough improvement for intercourse. The next 20% happened within a few more weeks. All told, I had 8 sessions of PT. The final 10% of healing took several more months after my PT and rigorous homework ended, but I’ve now been having pain-free sex for months. Even my scar tissue seemed to dissolve. What was once a rock-hard, thick mass of tenderness is just . . . gone.

Wow. I never thought I’d be able to say those words!

(Did I mention that no surgery was involved?)

(Did I also mention that the way I was sewn up had nothing to do with my return to pain-free intercourse?)

(Did I further mention that the things I learned about my body along the way have been life-changing, and now I’m so grateful for this experience? I sidestepped some major health issues down the road by having such an attention-getting symptom early in my life!)

A Hidden Advantage

The remarkable speed of my recovery–that initial 70% improvement in only 2 weeks’ time–owes to my previous biofeedback, mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation experience. I had already spent 2 years practicing how to connect with my body, to notice what was happening without judgment, to bring my mind to center, and to relax. I also had worked with HRV biofeedback equipment at home, plus biofeedback and neurofeedback in a professional setting with Victoria Harrison (Houston, TX). I just needed to learn how to connect with a new area of my body. I also believe that meditating for extended periods every day helped facilitate the recovery.

I still would have recovered without this prior experience; it just would have taken longer.

***

Tomorrow is Part 3, where I’ll dive into exactly what biofeedback and physical therapy mean in this context, what my homework entailed in more detail, and tools and resources that might be helpful to others suffering similarly, or even to any postpartum mom. [You can now read Part 3 of this series here.]

Comments

Thanks so much for the post. Do you have any recommendations on finding help for those of us not in Houston? I’m in DC, am 3 months pp, and am having prohibitive pain and anxiety during sexual attempts–and still experience discomfort and pressure when I pee. My stage 2 lacerations apparently healed “nicely” and I was cleared for action at six weeks, but our attempts thus far have failed–too much pain and fear for entry. I didn’t trust my OBGYN to deliver me (went with a midwife instead), so I’m guessing they are not the practice to care for such an issue. Thanks in advance.

For starters if you just ate don’t auatitomcally think you’re fat because your stomach always expands after eating or drinking a ton of water.Just eat healthier, and smaller portions.Many people eat when they are bored, without a reason.So when you’re going to get something to eat, think if you’re actually hungry or if you’re just bored.If you’re not or have a craving, just stop and count down slowly from 50. It’ll usually pass by than.Running, crunches, squats, sit-ups, side bends, are all good exersices.

Thank you so much for tackling this topic! I was first introduced to pelvic floor health (ironically) while working as a personal trainer for the Marine Corps and (also ironically) while pregnant with our first baby. I had no clue how many women suffer with pain and I’m so thankful for the guidance of professionals and ‘experienced vets’ like yourself. Praise God for the resources to discover healing…and thank you for passing those resources on to others. Oh, and I loved your poem :)

Thank you, tommimom! That is ironic. Have you heard about the also ironic connection between hard-core physical fitness training and PF dysfunction? Apparently the new demographic with epidemic PF dysfunction (of one kind or another, often incontinence) is super-fit women. Crazy.

Wow, just wow. I had no idea the pain that you’ve been suffering through. I’m so thankful you are willing to be vulnerable, and open, and consequently a blessing to other women who need this support. You’re amazing!

Thank you, Katherine. That’s such an encouragement. Yes, it’s been a very difficult road, and my case was severe (without help, it would have been life-long abstinence for me). I’m thankful now to have information that might help others like me, not to mention the millions of women with milder symptoms who are able to “grin and bear it” and just chalk it up to life not being the same after a baby. For many of them, their ongoing suffering, however minor, is completely unnecessary.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate birth professionals like you who are out there informing and empowering women to make better choices for themselves and their babies. What a great gift! I know I’m better off for your expertise and kindness.

Looking for something?

Hi! I'm Alison. Welcome to my list of tools, ideas, and resources for getting well and living well. Subscribe below to stay in the loop. Read my story.